Dash squeak driving me nuts!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Somebody help me out here. I have a high pitched squeak in my dash, sounds like it's from the passenger side. I've managed to eliminate my door squeeks, glovebox rattles, rear deck rattles, seat rattles, and probably some others I forget. This one though, it taunts me, the little bastard. I've tightened the speakers, glovebox is solid, airbag bolts are tight, everything that can be tightened is. WTF!?

Yeah, I'm anal, I'll admit it.

[ILoveMPower]

Ohhh! I know exactly how to fix this! :)

Just find a suitable radio station, and turn the volume up. :P

[Russell]

Write up on your techniques would be great?

I have some squeaks AND rattles I cannot find somewhere on the right side of the car. I may be missing something. Can you help all of use here-Please! :)

Sorry I do not have an answer for your dash squeak. I think mine has the same squeak/rattle when both front wheels hit a bump at the same time Ihear something from what seems to be the middle of the dash. Suspect it is the body flexing a bit and the heating/ac box or ductwork making noise.

Good luck!

[Nick.Hay]

My ****in passenger's seat and driver's rear door squeak... I can sympathise with you Matt. You're not anal, you are just an enthusiast like the majority of us on this forum!!

[joshua43214]

BMW's should not sqeak or rattle. I don't regard this as anal at all, If I didn't care about things like sqeaks I would drive an American car.

Isolating interior noises can be a real pain at times. Get some wooden paint stirring sticks and some wooden wedges. Sart by pushing, pulling and banging on the dash pad to see if you can imitate the noise. If you can't make it sqeak in the driveway, find a safe place to drive at low speeds and push,prod and wedge as you drive the car, I find alleyways very good for this. Remove parts 1 at a time for access. Try wedging visible seams and pushing on different areas, to isolate the noise as either coming from the dash pad or something underneath it. If the noise is coming from underneath, start removing parts like the radio and glovebox so you can reach inside and hold things steady, eventualy you will push on something and the noise will stop.

Use common sense alot as you go, and use common sense as for how to fix the squeak. Some things will just need to be tightened. Other things will need felt washers, or even ocassionaly a bit of silicone lube if its a bracket that is molded in that has come loose. Slightly bending brackets to add tension will also help loose molded brackets. A wad of dumdum under and offending trim piece will work wonders.

Common dash squeaks come from; glovebox,radio, consol to dash alignment,dash rubbing A pillar or windscreen, instrument cluster, grills,grill to duct alignment,trim arround steering column.

Removing the upper dash pad is not an overwhealming job, so don't be shy about pulling it off and driving it arround that way. Removing as much stuff as possible and then driving the car with an assistant is a big help.

You can try pushing the dash pad toward the front of the car very firmly above the cluster, below the dash vent, and above the glovebox and see if you can force the pad deeper into it clips. If this fix's the noise, it will come back over time, but you will have isolated its source. There is a bracket center dash, right at the base of the windscreen that can sometimes squeak, you will have to pull the dash pad back to access it. With the topcenter grille out and the speaker grilles out, you may be able to add wedges as a dirty fix until you can pull every thing appart and fix it properly.

As with any other problem, diagnosis starts with isolating the noise into one area and then continuing to isolate areas until you find the source. Don't be afraid to take pictures if you end up having to dig deep into the dash, and keep careful track of where the screws go so you don't add a new sqeak on reassembly. don't forget to charge the battery on your electric screwdriver before you start.

[t_marat]

Do you get a sound as if the leather is rubbing against each other? From the rear passenger area?

[granit_silber]

Somebody help me out here. I have a high pitched squeak in my dash, sounds like it's from the passenger side. I've managed to eliminate my door squeeks, glovebox rattles, rear deck rattles, seat rattles, and probably some others I forget. This one though, it taunts me, the little bastard. I've tightened the speakers, glovebox is solid, airbag bolts are tight, everything that can be tightened is. WTF!?

Yeah, I'm anal, I'll admit it.
Matt,

When you hear the squeking, try pushing up on the panel where the sunroof switch is. Sounds weird but that's where my squeak was coming from even though it sounded like it was near the glovebox.

-ashley

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll try the wedge trick. Already tried most everything else, banging, pushing, riding in the passenger seat with someone else driving, I can't localize it. I suppose pulling the dash pad would be a logical next step.

As for what I've done, it's been a lot because the car was pretty squeeky when I got it. I'll try to remember everything. First, I went through and tightened everything with a bolt, nut, or screw. Open all the doors, glovebox, move the seats around, sunvisors, everything. Stuff that helped for me: screw between the center pocket by the e-brake was stripped out, install bigger screw and silicone in the seam. Pull all door panels, tighten bolts that hold on wood trim, as well as bolts for arm-rests and upper door parts. Replace all broken plastic clips, re-glue the pockets to the door panel. Also lube all the lock/latch/window hardware. Lube all the seat tracks and linkages for seat adjustment. Tighten screws that hold wood trim to glovebox door, added rubber bumper to hold glovebox tight when shut, wrapped glovebox lower pivot with tape so lower clamps hold tight, adjusted glovebox, applied silicone grease along edge where glovebox and lower dash come into contact. Pulled rear seats and bent tabs on rear deck down behind metal to hold it tightly. Tighten all speaker screws. Wrapped door latch receivers with friction tape until door latches tightly. Gummi-pfledge all rubbers.

That's all I can come up with now, if I remember more I'll add it later.

t marat, I get a little noise from the leather, but it's not bad. Leatherique cleaner and oil seemed to help it shut up.

[Russell]

Thanks for your tips. Think I will try some of them this weekend.
BTW, anyone notice the sunroof squeaking or rattling? How about rattles coming from the piller between passenger side doors. Thisk related to seatbelt height adjuster?

Cannot confirm this, but seems as if things are tighter when it is raining? any thoughts?